Hands-free paper towel dispenser

ABSTRACT

A hands-free paper towel dispenser arranged to dispense towels in response to a first sensor ( 14 ) sensing the presence of a user and activating a drive unit ( 10 ), which automatically initiates the dispensing of the web of towels out of the dispenser into a first position (A), allowing a predetermined length of web to be cut by a cutting element ( 11 ) and removed by the user. The operation is completed by activating the feeding mechanism and positioning a leading edge of the web of towels in a second position (B) inside a dispensing opening ( 7 ), in which second position at least a portion of the leading edge of the web of towels is visible to the user adjacent the lower edge ( 8 ) of the dispenser unit.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a hands-free paper towel dispenser comprising ahousing for holding a continuous web of towels, which housing has anouter front wall and two outer side walls. The outer front wallcomprises a dispensing opening for the web of towels at its lower edge.The dispenser further comprises a feeding mechanism for controlling thedispensing of the web of towels, a drive unit and a cutting means forthe web and at least one sensor for sensing a user and activating afeeding mechanism and for monitoring the dispensing of a towel.

BACKGROUND ART

Automatic touch free dispensers or hands-free dispensers for papertowels of tissue paper or non-woven are known on the market. Thehands-free dispensers are electronically manoeuvred, they store andadvance the paper towel with different kinds of control devices, sensorsand power sources available on the market, and they are usually batterydriven. Without touching the dispenser, i.e. hands-free, the user canget a paper towel that is fed automatically by the electronic dispenser.Dispensers like this are commonly used in public lavatories fordispensing paper towels to users. The most common type of a powered,hands-free dispenser is a roll dispenser with different kind of sensorsused to initiate the mechanisms for advancing the towel such that thenext sheet is presented to the user. Some examples of differentelectronic hands-free roll towel dispensers are disclosed in U.S. Pat.No. 4,666,099, U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,825, U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,262, U.S.Pat. No. 5,452,832, U.S. Pat. No. 5,772,291, U.S. Pat. No. 6,412,655, WO99/59457 and WO 00/63100. There is a wide range of various sensors usedin the dispensers, such as IR sensors, radio frequency disruptionsensors, capacity sensors, motion or light detectors, mechanicaldetectors, photoelectric cell or proximity detectors.

One problem with dispensers of this type is that it may not be obviousto the user where the hands should be positioned to trigger a sensor andinitiate a feeding operation. In cases where the sensor or a symbolindicating a sensor operated dispenser is located on the front of thedispenser, the user may attempt to press the dispenser in this location.This can cause soiling of the sensor and/or the dispenser, as well asbreakage of the sensor if it is subjected to repeated excessivepressure.

In order to solve this problem it may be necessary to allow a leadingedge of the towel to extend out of the dispenser. Firstly, this is notdesirable from a hygienic point of view. Secondly, a user may be able tograb and pull the leading edge of the towel before the mechanism hasstarted to feed the web. If the web is subjected to a pulling forceprior to or during the feeding operation, then the operation may bedisrupted by the web tearing in the wrong position or wedging a feedingmechanism, causing the dispenser to malfunction.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The invention aims to solve the above problems by providing an improvedhands-free dispenser as defined by the appended claims.

According to one embodiment of the invention, these objects are achievedby means of a hands-free paper towel dispenser comprising a housing forholding a continuous web roll of towels of tissue paper or non-woven.Alternatively, the housing may hold a pile of a continuous length ofaccordion-like folded web of towels of tissue paper or non-wovencomprising bundles of a continuous length of accordion-like folded webof towels of tissue paper or non-woven. The housing comprises an outerfront wall, two outer side walls and said outer front wall comprising adispensing opening for the web of towels at its lower edge. Thedispenser further comprises a feeding mechanism for controlling thedispensing of the web of towels, a drive unit, a cutting means and abraking arrangement for the web of towels and at least one sensor forcontrolling the dispensing of a towel. The feeding mechanism maycomprise a drive unit and a braking arrangement for controlling thedispensing of the web of towels from the outer periphery of the roll orthe upper part of the pile. The braking arrangement may be a separateunit or be integrated in the drive unit. The feeding mechanism isarranged to position a leading edge of the web of towels in a startingmode in the dispensing opening. During dispensing the paper towel is fedforward to assume a substantially flat form when it is dispensed throughthe dispensing opening. The dispenser also comprises a microprocessorfor controlling the dispensing of the web of towels. The microprocessorfor controlling the dispensing of the web of towels may also comprise asensor, such as a level sensor, that detects the last towels of the webof towels. The drive unit preferably comprises a motor and a pair ofdriving or feeding rollers. When the dispenser is not driven byelectricity from the mains, the drive unit may also comprise a batteryunit.

The dispenser comprises a first sensor means in the form of a startingsensor, which senses the presence of a user, and activates the driveunit in the feeding mechanism. The feeding mechanism will thenautomatically initiate the dispensing of the web of towels to ahands-free position. An automatic dispenser including a suitable sensormeans, in the form of an active IR sensor system, for detecting a useris known from WO 2007/006329, which is hereby incorporated by reference.According to this document, the IR system includes emitters andreceivers which are mounted so that each IR emitter's active emittingportion protrudes outwardly from an outer surface of the housing andeach IR receiver's active receiving portion is recessed behind thatouter surface, such that the outward protrusion of the active receivingportion from the outer surface of the housing is less than the outwardprotrusion of the active emitting portion. The outer surface of thehousing in question is preferably located at the bottom of the housingnext to the discharge outlet. This arrangement allows a reliable andaccurate IR reception field to be obtained with a shape more suited tothe expected user positioning. Sensor arrangements as described in thisdocument are suitable for use in a dispenser according to the invention.The starting sensor, hereinafter referred to as the “first sensormeans”, may comprise one or more transmitting and receiving unitsadjacent the dispenser opening and the sensor preferably has anoperating range of approximately 30 cm from its location. The firstsensor means is usually located in close proximity to the dispensingopening, for instance at the lower edge of the outer front wall. Whenthe hand of a user approaches the first sensor means near the dispensingopening, the web of towels will thus automatically be presented in thehands-free position and thereby ready to use. The length of the web oftowels presented in the hands-free position is preferably from about 15to about 50 cm. This length may be set by programming themicroprocessor.

The first sensor means is arranged to sense the presence of a user andto activate the feeding mechanism, which in turn will automaticallyinitiate the dispensing of a leading edge of the web of towels to afirst position, wherein a predetermined length of web is arranged to becut by the cutting means and removed by the user. The length can be setby programming the microprocessor, for instance by adjusting a period oftime during which the drive unit is to be operated, or by a sensordetermining a set number of rotations of the driven roller The user cangrab the dispensed web of towels and easily detach a towel from thecontinuous web of towels by tearing it off directly from the web byusing a tear bar or a tearing edge. Subsequently, the feeding mechanismis arranged to position the leading edge of the web of towels in asecond position inside the dispensing opening, in which second positionat least a portion of the leading edge of the web of towels is visibleto the user adjacent the lower edge of the dispenser unit. This positionis determined by a second sensor means, in the form of a position sensorin the dispensing opening. The second sensor means is arranged totransmit a signal to the microprocessor to start the driven roller tofeed the web when no web is detected in front of the second sensormeans, and to stop the driven roller when the leading edge reaches thesecond position. The feeding mechanism is arranged to position theleading edge of the web of towels in the second position subsequent tothe removal of a length of web. When in the second position, the leadingedge of the web of towels is located above a lowermost edge of the outerfront wall. Preferably, the leading edge of the web of towels is locatedwithin the outer walls of the housing when the leading edge of the webis located in the second position. According to the invention, the webof towels is kept in the dispensing opening by the braking arrangementwhen in the starting mode. The starting mode is identical to the secondposition taken up by the web after a user has taken a towel and asubsequent towel has been fed to a dispensing position, but before a newtowel is automatically fed out. The term starting mode means that theleading edge of the web of towels is positioned close to the dispensingopening but that the entire towel, or at least the main part of thetowel, is still protected by the dispenser, mostly for hygienic reasons.The web of towels is thereby protected as far as possible before it isbeing used. When in the second position, the leading edge of the web oftowels is visible but not accessible in a cut-out section in or adjacentthe lowermost edge of the outer front wall or, alternatively, visiblethrough a transparent section located in or adjacent the lower edge ofthe outer front wall. This arrangement will intuitively lead the user tomove a hand towards the visible leading edge of the towel, which willautomatically put the hand within the range of at least one proximitysensor and activate the dispenser.

The function of the sensors and/or detectors used may be of an opticaltype, preferably of the infra red (IR) type, but alternative types ofsensors may also be used. Examples of suitable sensor types arecapacitive, radio frequency, motion, proximity or light sensors ordetectors, photoelectric cells etc. The sensors may be operated usingelectric power from the mains or an internal source of energy within thedispenser, such as batteries.

In operation the hands-free paper towel dispenser is arranged todispense towels by sensing the presence of a user and activating afeeding mechanism, which automatically initiates the dispensing of theweb of towels out of the dispenser into a first position, allowing apredetermined length of web to be cut by a cutting means and removed bythe user. The operation is completed by activating the feeding mechanismand positioning a leading edge of the web of towels in a second positioninside a dispensing opening, in which second position at least a portionof the leading edge of the web of towels is visible but not accessibleto the user adjacent the lower edge of the dispenser unit.

The operation involves feeding the leading edge of the web of towelsinto the second position subsequent to the removal of the cut length ofweb, which second position is located above a lowermost edge of theouter front wall or within the outer periphery of the outer walls of thehousing.

When feeding the leading edge of the web of towels into the secondposition, said leading edge may be located in a cut-out section of thelowermost edge of the outer front wall, wherein the leading edge of theweb of towels is visible but not accessible to the user. Alternatively,the leading edge may be located behind a transparent section adjacentthe lower edge of the outer front wall, through which the leading edgeof the web of towels is visible.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The invention will be described in detail with reference to the attachedfigures. It is to be understood that the drawings are designed solelyfor the purpose of illustration and are not intended as a definition ofthe limits of the invention, for which reference should be made to theappended claims. It should be further understood that the drawings arenot necessarily drawn to scale and that, unless otherwise indicated,they are merely intended to schematically illustrate the structures andprocedures described herein.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a dispenser according tothe invention,

FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the dispenser in FIG.1.

EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a hands-free paper toweldispenser according to the invention. The figure shows a dispenser 1comprising a housing 2 for holding a roll 3 comprising a continuous webof towels, said housing 2 comprising an outer front wall 4; two outerside walls 5, 6, as well as a top and a bottom wall extending rearwardsfrom the respective upper and lower ends of the outer front wall 4. Theouter front wall 4 comprises a dispensing opening 7 for the web oftowels adjacent its lower edge 8. In FIG. 1 the housing 2 is drawnpartially transparent in order to show the internal structure of thedispenser 1, including a schematically indicated feeding mechanism 9. Inthis particular embodiment, the housing is completely or partiallyopaque with a transparent indicator window I for allowing inspection ofthe filling level of the roll 3.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the dispenser inFIG. 1. The dispenser 1 is provided with a feeding mechanism 9 forcontrolling the dispensing of the web of towels from the roll 3. Thefeeding mechanism comprises a drive unit 10 and a cutting means in theform of a tear bar 11 for the web of towels. In this example, the driveunit 10 comprises a first and a second roller 12, 13, where the firstroller 12 is a driven roller and the second roller 13 is a spring loadedfollower holding the web in contact with the first roller 12. This isschematically indicated by a spring means S. In the embodiment, thefirst and second rollers 12, 13 are also arranged to act as anintegrated braking arrangement for the web. The function of the brakingmechanism is to prevent the web from being unintentionally pulled out ofthe dispenser. Behind the rollers 12, 13 the feeding mechanism 9 isprovided with a compartment 14 for a stub roll, whereby a nearlyexhausted roll 3 is placed in said compartment 14 during a re-fillingoperation. The feeding mechanism 9 also comprises a microprocessor (notshown) for processing signals transmitted from various sensor means andfor actuating the dispensing function. If the dispenser is of thebattery operated type, the battery compartment can be located in oradjacent the feeding mechanism 9.

The dispenser further comprises a first sensor means 15 comprising anumber of sensors (only one shown) adjacent the lower edge (8) of thefront wall 4 for controlling the dispensing of a towel. In the currentexample, the first sensor means 15 for controlling the dispensing of theweb of towels comprise a number of infrared sensor units located at thelower edge 8 of the outer front wall 4. According to one example, thefirst sensor means 15 comprises two IR-transmitters and threeIR-receivers, wherein the IR-receivers are spaced apart by the twoIR-transmitters. The sensor units are aimed outwards and downwards fromthe lower edge 8 of the dispenser. The first sensor means 15 has anoperating range of not more than approximately 30 cm, extending in atongue shape away from the front of the dispenser.

Alternative suitable sensor types include capacitive, motion, proximityor light sensors or detectors.

The first sensor means 15 is arranged to sense the presence of a useradjacent the dispenser and transmit a signal to the microprocessor toactivate the feeding mechanism 9. The microprocessor will automaticallyinitiate the drive unit 10 to dispense a leading edge E of the web oftowels a predetermined length to a first position A. In this positionthe predetermined length of web is arranged to be pulled outwards andcut by the cutting means 11, in order to be removed by the user. In thiscase, the web is cut by the pulling action applied to the web by theuser, which action causes the web to be forced into contact with aserrated cutting edge on the tear bar 11 in a position B. In thisexample the cutting means is a straight tear bar extending at leastacross the entire width of the web. The predetermined length of the webof towels presented to the user in the first position can be selectedfrom 15 to 50 cm.

The length can be set by programming the microprocessor, for instance byadjusting the time the drive unit 10 is to be operated. The speed ofrotation of the cooperating rollers 12, 13 is known and is programmedinto the microprocessor. Once the web has been cut and removed by theuser, an additional, second sensor means 16 detects that the web is nolonger present in the dispensing opening 7. The second sensor means 16is preferably a suitable position sensor that can detect the presence orabsence of the web in front of the sensor, including the leading edge ofthe web as it is fed forward past the sensor means.

According to one example, the microprocessor will actuate the drivenrollers 12, 13 and start a timer to dispense a subsequent length of webtowards the presentation position D. When the rollers 12, 13 have beenoperated for a time corresponding to the distance from position B to apresentation position D, the rollers 12, 13 are stopped and thedispenser is ready for dispensing the next predetermined length of theweb.

According to a second example the microprocessor will actuate the drivenrollers 12, 13 to dispense a subsequent length of web towards thepresentation position D. The second sensor means 16 is used fordetermining when the leading edge of the web passes an intermediateposition C, which in this example represents the end of the guidedirecting the web towards the dispensing opening 7. When the leadingedge E passes the intermediate position C the timer is started to allowthe microprocessor to stop the rollers 12, 13 after a distance X, whenthe leading edge E has reached the presentation position D. Thedispenser is then ready for dispensing the next predetermined length ofthe web. This example allows for greater reliability and accuracy, asthe leading edge E must pass the second sensor means 16 before thedispensed distance is measured by the timer. This ensures that thesubsequent length of web is actually fed forward. If the leading edgehas not passed the second sensor means after a predetermined period oftime, then this is an indication that the web is finished or that amalfunction has occurred. An error message can be generated for theattention of the servicing staff. Also, as the timer operates over ashorter time and a corresponding relatively short distance X, theaccuracy of the feeding operation can be improved.

Alternatively, a sensor (not shown) on one of the driving rollers 12, 13can be used for determining a set number of rotations of the drivenroller 12, 13 corresponding to the distance between position B andposition D. The same sensor can be used for determining thepredetermined length to be dispensed from the presentation position D toposition A where the user can tear of the length of web.

In all the above examples, the feeding mechanism is arranged to feedforward and position the cut leading edge E of the web of towels in thepresentation position D inside the dispensing opening 7. In thisposition D at least a portion of the leading edge E of the web of towelsis visible to the user adjacent the lower edge of the dispenser unit. Inthe example shown in FIG. 1, the leading edge E of the web of towels isvisible in a pair of cut-out sections 17 of the lowermost edge of theouter front wall 4. Alternatively, the leading edge of the web can bevisible through a transparent section 18 adjacent the lower edge of theouter front wall 4, as indicated by dashed lines in FIG. 1.

The feeding mechanism is arranged to position the leading edge of theweb of towels in the presentation position D subsequent to the removalof a length of web. This prevents the web from being fed forwardunnecessarily and avoids misuse of the dispenser. When in thepresentation position D the leading edge E of the web of towels islocated adjacent or above the lowermost edge 8 of the outer front wall4. Alternatively the leading edge E can be located within the confinesof the outer walls of the housing 2. In the presentation position D, theleading edge E of the web of towels is visible in at least one cut-outsection of the lowermost edge of the outer front wall 4.

In operation the hands-free paper towel dispenser is arranged todispense towels in response to a first sensor means sensing the presenceof a user and activating a feeding mechanism, which automaticallyinitiates the dispensing of the web of towels out of the dispenser intoa first position A, allowing a predetermined length of web to be cut bya cutting means 11 when removed by the user. The operation is completedby a second sensor means 16 detecting that the length of web has beenremoved and activating the drive unit 10. The second sensor means 16 isthen used for detecting the leading edge E of the web of towels in anintermediate position C inside the dispensing opening 7. After apredetermined time after passing the second position C the leading edgeE of the web is stopped at a second position D, also referred to as thepresentation position D, where at least a portion of the leading edge Eof the web of towels is visible to the user adjacent the lower edge 8 ofthe dispenser unit.

The operation involves feeding the leading edge of the web of towelsinto the second position D subsequent to the removal of the cut lengthof web, which second position D is located above a lowermost edge 8 ofthe outer front wall or within the outer periphery of the outer walls ofthe housing.

When feeding the leading edge E of the web of towels into the secondposition D, said leading edge may be located in a cut-out section 17 ofthe lowermost edge 8 of the outer front wall, wherein the leading edge Eof the web of towels is visible to the user. Alternatively, the leadingedge may be located behind a transparent section 18 adjacent the loweredge 8 of the outer front wall 4, through which the leading edge E ofthe web of towels is visible.

The invention is not limited to the above examples, but may be variedfreely within the scope of the appended claims.

1-19. (canceled)
 20. A hands-free paper towel dispenser comprising ahousing for holding a continuous web of towels, said housing comprisingan outer front wall; two outer side walls, said outer front wallcomprising a dispensing opening for the web of towels adjacent its loweredge, the dispenser further comprising a drive unit, a cutting means forthe web of towels, at least one sensor means for controlling thedispensing of a towel, and a microprocessor for controlling the driveunit in response to signals from said at least one sensor means, whereina first sensor means is arranged to sense the presence of a user and toactivate the drive unit arranged to dispense a predetermined length ofweb in order to displace a leading edge of the web of towels to a firstposition, in which the predetermined length of web is arranged to be cutby the cutting means when removed by the user; and the drive unit isarranged to position the leading edge of the web of towels in a secondposition inside the dispensing opening, in which second position atleast a portion of the leading edge of the web of towels is visible tothe user adjacent the lower edge of the dispenser.
 21. The hands-freepaper towel dispenser according to claim 20, wherein the drive unit isarranged to position the leading edge of the web of towels in the secondposition subsequent to the removal of a length of web.
 22. Thehands-free paper towel dispenser according to claim 20, wherein when inthe second position, the leading edge of the web of towels is locatedabove a lowermost edge of the outer front wall.
 23. The hands-free papertowel dispenser according to claim 20, wherein when in the secondposition, the leading edge of the web of towels is located within theouter walls of the housing.
 24. The hands-free paper towel dispenseraccording to claim 20, wherein when in the second position, the leadingedge of the web of towels is visible in a cut-out section of thelowermost edge of the outer front wall.
 25. The hands-free paper toweldispenser according to claim 20, wherein when in the second position,the leading edge of the web of towels is visible through a transparentsection adjacent the lower edge of the outer front wall.
 26. Thehands-free paper towel dispenser according to claim 20, wherein a secondsensor means is located in the dispensing opening, said sensor meansbeing arranged to transmit a signal to the microprocessor to start thedrive unit to feed the web when no web is detected in front of thesecond sensor means, and to stop the drive unit when the leading edgereaches the second position.
 27. The hands-free paper towel dispenseraccording to claim 20, wherein the first sensor means for controllingthe dispensing of the web of towels comprises at least one sensor unitlocated at the lower edge of the outer front wall.
 28. The hands-freepaper towel dispenser according to claim 27, wherein the first sensormeans comprises at least one infrared, capacitive, motion, proximity orlight sensor or detector.
 29. The hands-free paper towel dispenseraccording to claim 20, wherein the first sensor means has an operatingrange of not more than approximately 30 cm.
 30. The hands-free papertowel dispenser according to claim 20, wherein the predetermined lengthof the web of towels presented to the user in the first position is from15 to 50 cm.
 31. The hands-free paper towel dispenser according to claim20, wherein the lower edge of the dispenser unit is provided with atleast one cut-out section or transparent section.
 32. The hands-freepaper towel dispenser according to claim 20, wherein the cutting meansis a tear bar.
 33. Method of dispensing paper towel from a hands-freepaper towel dispenser according to claim 20, which comprises: sensingthe presence of a user and activating a drive unit, which automaticallyinitiates the dispensing of the web of towels out of the dispenser intoa first position, allowing a predetermined length of web to be cut by acutting means when removed by the user, activating the drive unit andpositioning a leading edge of the web of towels in a second positioninside a dispensing opening, in which second position at least a portionof the leading edge of the web of towels is visible to the user adjacentthe lower edge of the dispenser unit.
 34. Method according to claim 33,further comprising feeding the leading edge of the web of towels intothe second position subsequent to the removal of the cut length of web.35. The method according to claim 33, further comprising feeding theleading edge of the web of towels into a second position located above alowermost edge of the outer front wall.
 36. The method according toclaim 33, further comprising feeding the leading edge of the web oftowels into a second position located within the outer walls of thehousing.
 37. The method according to claim 33, further comprisingfeeding the leading edge of the web of towels into a second positionlocated in a cut-out section of the lowermost edge of the outer frontwall, wherein the leading edge of the web of towels is visible.
 38. Themethod according to claim 33, further comprising feeding the leadingedge of the web of towels into a second position located behind atransparent section adjacent the lower edge of the outer front wall,through which the leading edge of the web of towels is visible.